'Bridgerton' Season 3 Sets New Record With 45 Million Views in Its First Week

Bridgerton Season 3 Had Shows Biggest Opening So Far With 45 Million Views in Less Than a Week

(L to R) Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton, Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington Liam Daniel/Netflix

Bridgerton season 3 had its most successful opening weekend ever.

According to a statement from Netflix, the first half of the third season attracted 45.05 million views globally after it debuted on Thursday, May 16. In simpler terms, this means that viewers spent a total of about 165.2 million hours watching the show by Tuesday, May 21.

Season 2 of Bridgerton, which premiered in March 2022, garnered over 193 million hours of viewing time across all episodes. This season marks the first time the show has divided its release into two parts instead of releasing all episodes at once. Netflix did not disclose weekly viewing figures for season 1.

Additionally, Bridgerton achieved the highest number of views in a single week for any Netflix series since the platform began ranking titles based on viewership in June 2023.

The historical drama Bridgerton, based on Julia Quinn's book series, revolves around the wealthy Bridgerton family searching for love in 19th century London. There are eight seasons planned for Bridgerton, each based on one of Quinn's novels focusing on a different sibling.

In season 3, the storyline shifts to Colin Bridgerton's friendship with Penelope Featherington evolving into a romantic relationship, following the love stories of Daphne Bridgerton with Simon Basset and Anthony Bridgerton with Kate Sharma.

Quinn recently shared her thoughts on bringing Colin and Penelope's love story to fruition in the latest season.

She mentioned, "What excites me the most is that this season focuses on two characters we are already familiar with, which is quite different from previous seasons and likely those to follow," in an interview with The New York Post.

Quinn mentioned that she faced a challenge when writing Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. She felt a unique emotional connection to this particular book, as it was the fourth in the series and the most difficult to plot.

She also noted that Colin and Penelope were already well-developed characters before they became the central focus of the story.

It can be challenging to create a plot that fits all the characters you have, especially when you need to introduce a new one. I usually have one character carry over from before and then shape the other one to fit the story. This time, it was particularly difficult to come up with a plot that worked well for all the characters I had developed with their own unique experiences.

When talking about the show's success, Quinn revealed that she was taken aback by the positive response it received.

"I was so surprised by how incredibly huge it turned out to be," she said. "It caught everyone off guard in the best way possible. I believe that Bridgerton can be seen as a great example of adaptation. Each season doesn't stick strictly to the books. There are changes made to the plot."

She continued, "However, if you look at the entire season as a whole, the characters stay true to themselves. The main conflict remains faithful to what it originally was. That's why I find it truly brilliant."

The first half of Bridgerton season 3 is currently streaming on Netflix. The remaining episodes drop on Thursday, June 13.

Editor's P/S:

The third season of "Bridgerton" has taken the world by storm, attracting a record-breaking number of viewers in its opening weekend. Its success is a testament to the show's captivating storytelling, stunning visuals, and relatable characters. The shift in focus to Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington's love story has added a fresh and exciting dimension to the series, while remaining true to the essence of Julia Quinn's beloved book series.

Quinn's insights into the challenges of adapting her novels for the screen are particularly insightful. She emphasizes the importance of balancing faithfulness to the source material with the need to create a compelling narrative that works within the medium of television. The show's success suggests that she and the creators have struck this balance perfectly, resulting in a series that has captivated audiences worldwide and left them eagerly anticipating the conclusion of season 3 and the future installments to come.